Business & Tech

Craft Beers Could Be Hurt by Shutdown, Too

A St. Louis Park craft beer salesman is worried about the impact the state shutdown could have on his distributors.

As reported today by the Star Tribune and other outlets, MillerCoors beers have to be pulled from Minnesota shelves because the company didn't renew its brand license before the state shut down. However, the owner of a St. Louis Park craft beer store is worried that this could have an impact on the brews he sells as well.

Jason Alvey, owner of , said some of the distributors he buys from could be hurt because they're losing their "bread and butter." While Alvey's store doesn't stock mass-produced beers like Miller and Coors, he said he's worried that distributors might start having a harder time getting craft brews to him if they're not making as much money on their major products.

"If they take a hit, craft beer takes a hit," Alvey said.

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For instance, Alvey said he gets New Belgium Brewing's Fat Tire ale from distributor JJ Taylor, a company that also sells MillerCoors products. A JJ Taylor representative said the company is not commenting at this time on MillerCoors beers being pulled from shelves.

Ultimately, Alvey said he sees it taking several months for the impact of the lost MillerCoors sales in Minnesota to really trickle down to his craft beer business. But that doesn't mean he isn't frustrated with the state's elected officials.

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"I think it's absolutely disgusting," Alvey said of the shutdown. "They're getting paid to bicker about this while people's livelihoods are affected."

The brands being pulled from shelves:

Blue Moon Pale Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Coors Light 3.2, Foster’s Lager Beer, Foster’s Premium Ale, Grolsch Amber Ale, Grolsch Blonde Lager, Grolsch Light Lager, Grolsch Premium Lager, Hamm’s, Hamm’s Genuine Draft Style, Hamm’s Special Light, Henry Weinhard’s Dark, Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen, Henry Weinhard’s Pale Ale, Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Icehouse Beer, Keystone Light Beer 3.2, Killians Irish Red 3.2, MGD Light 64, Mickey’s Ice Ale, Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller High Life 12/16 oz can, Miller High Life Ice, Miller High Life Light 12 oz can, Miller Lite 3.2%, Miller Lite Beer, Milwaukee’s Best #1 , Milwaukee’s Best Ice, Milwaukee’s Best Light #1 3.2, Molson Canadian, Molson Canadian Light, Molson Golden, Molson Ice, Molson XXX, Olde English 800 Malt Liquor, Sparks Light


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